'I had a really bad experience with a real train when I was shooting for Tere Naam'

I had a really bad experience with a real train when I was shooting for Tere Naam.

I had to walk on the train tracks with a bandage on my head. There was a stuntman working on the train tracks who looks at the train and has to pull me out as my back is to the train.

But the stuntman panicked and froze. I am not supposed to look back in the scene so I had no idea how close the train had come.

The stuntman looked at me and then he looked at the whole unit and at the last moment, he pulled me out.

I got hit a bit on my leg and the stuntman told me, ‘I panicked, but when I looked at the whole unit, I knew if anything happens to you, I will be killed. So I took the risk and apne jaan ko jokim main daal ko aapko bachchaya.’ (I risked my life and saved you)

The whole unit was shocked. Then they realised that this could be done in CG and the effect would have been the same.

In Kick, there is a train but it is at a safe distance. In the scene, I am cycling in front of the train.

The reason to keep the train far off is what if the cycle chain comes off or the tyre get stuck crossing the track? It is therefore necessary to keep a safe distance.

'Interviews are a compulsion'

I try to enjoy things as much as possible. Till the time I enjoy it, I will do it. The day I feel it is not enjoyable, I will give it up.

Journalism has become a joke now -- it’s not journalism any more; it has become entertainment.

The problem will be when you have to capture real stories. The real stories will not be conveyed because everything is so badaa chadaa ke (exaggerated).

There is no social and national responsibility, it is just about TRPs.

It is our fault usually because we are letting this happen. It is the fault of politicians because they are letting it happen. This is your fault because you are letting it happen. This is the fault of your newspaper owners and your editor. It is everybody’s fault.

'The photographers are aggressive'

Recently, there was an altercation between your personal security and the press photographers, resulting in the latter refusing to cover you until the release of Kick. It is said that if you had gotten involved, the matter would not have worsened. Please comment.

Why should I step in? That’s not my job.

I said ‘Jisko rehna hai, woh raho, jisko janaa hai, woh jaoo’ (whoever wants to stay can stay, whoever wants to go, can go). That was my way of stepping in.

The fight is between the Royalty’s bodyguards and press photographers, who have to handle the situation.

Press photographers ask me to stand at the events to take a photograph and get Rs 150 and Rs 250 per photograph, and then click non-stop on their digital cameras.

There is no way you can ban me. It is your choice not to take my pictures.

I would be happy if the whole fraternity says ‘No, we will not take his pictures.’ I will be really glad.

I hope they can survive.

At least there are some people (photographers), who have taken a stand, right or wrong it doesn’t matter.

The fault is also of our PR team. Why do they call so many people? Just call a few publications.

And why do photographers need to come so close to us? They have such long lenses that they can shoot from 30 feet away.

There was a picture of Priyanka Chopra from outside the building in the middle of the night. The photographer got the picture, no? So why do you have to come so close? It is because they are competing with each other.

With this kind of behaviour, our PR teams are going to call four or five photographers to shoot pictures and if they also ban us, then we have our own photographers, who are superb.